Wichita eagle., 1887-02-01
EQUAL SUFFRAGE.
To the Editor Of the Eagle.

to the shame and dishonor Of our country
that during the past week the United States
senate should vote down the consti
tutional amendment for equal suffrage.
Those who opposed it were not willing
to submit the question to the legislatures Of
the different states: Is this a free country,
and is this the land of liberty?
Freedom is misnemer for freedom with
cut the use Of the ballot, is more abject
bondage than the slavery of the South
The principle that taxation without rep
resentation" is unjust, is as true today as il
was at the time Of tie Revolutionary war.
Simple justice demands equal rights and
expediency and policy win prove it in the
future.
Enfranchisement is not God given priv
ilege but It is natural right, Senator
Vest to the contrary notwithstanding, that
men claim for themselves; they enact laws
giving themselves the privilege and too
selfish to grant the same to their wives and
mothers. Let then remember this well:
''Do unto others as ye would they should
do with you"
Men cannot represent their wives, they
represent themselves; and when man says
he can vote for tie whole family
it is false, his vote consists of one, just the
same as the most ignorant German or ne
gro Besides if it were true or possible
that men represented women. then they
have not been faithful in the discharge of
their duty.
There is not state in the Union where
the law is equally just to the women. In
only three states are they considered the
rightful guardians of their own children.
eff suffrage is corrupted in cities and
elsewhere that is the best argument for
granting suffrage to women. 1t is con-
ceded that women are the moral and spir-
itual elements in society There is not
religion or church that could exist without
her, and the ballot in the hands of women
will not only elevate womahood but hui
manity.
am not alone in this opinion, so great
divine as Bishop Simpson says, Il believe
that the great vices in our large cities will
never be conquered until the ballot is put
in the hands of women"
The danger was in emotional suffrage, in |
excitable sufTrage-Hon. Vest So it was
when the fifteenth amendment was con
sidered, for the colored race are
emotional they had no education,
and very little intellect to assist that emo
ional nature, but the amendment passed all
he same, for freedom without the ballot
would be worse condition for the poor
5lave. And that is the position of women
oday, they are classed with criminals and
dots
Women were essentially emotional, it
was their nature" But is it now? Wo-
men of the 18th century are not what they
we're one hundred years ago. Since schools
md colleges are open to them all over the
world, there are as many intelligent women
Is men, and With her intelligence, her high
standard of temperance and morality, her
adherence TO principle instead of party, her
'ote can have us injurious effect Oh the
government
What can there be in the act of casting q
'allot that shocks our senator so terribly
hat he cries out in anguish? "This is '
'olitical monstrosity."
The women can willingly say: "On me '
nd mine rest the sin OF casting the ballot t
or the protection of ourselves and chill !
rem When rightly considered, voting is a
My an expression of honest opinion, and a
rand results are expected and must neees
arily follow. It's early education and S
omestic tyranny that makes many wo- 7
len think It's improper or masculine. t
has been masculine in the past but we a
ope it will become somewhat feminine in /
re future. And the time is not far dis
mt when women will be granted equal f
iffrage and when voting is popular and 7
&c will not be made to feel mental and 7
'cial degradation, then she will realize i,
lat it is no more improper to cast ballot t,
ian 10 mail a letter, and she can do either
Id still be true wife and good mother =
"Weman's suffragists want to be presi- =.
ents, senators and members of the house >,
representatives.. 1t is evident Senator q
est feels his position rather insecure or he %
ould be willing TO let women have exual
with himself well he may
el shaky for I'll warrant there is not u
oman who would use her influence for u
N for the most menial Office the people I"
uld grant)
can see no reeSon why a woman with sc
lie intellect, chosen and elected by the .
ople should not he senator, representa- fe
re or even president Why should not IL
oman he at the head Of our government Sc
well as in England
There is a woman. grand character n,
lila a. Lockwood who had the moral as
urase to come before the people as W
ndida'e for presidency Consequently ii
women have aspirations now with ps
t equal suffrage it can be no al
yuments against it, for TO suppress the he
,oition and high aspirations of the Amer
women is beyond the power of even h
nator Vest Q. Ingalls, or any other hui z,
IN being ca
The women expect and intend to keep le
King until the petition is granted, and tn
a refusal means notb;p, saro tho, a..